Supply ...Can`t Get There from Here

[dogscoff]

I`ve come back to the Game recently, and when I got it on first release, I really don`t remember this huge maintance cost issue for Ships. Was this introduced in a recent Patch ?

Maintenance/ component costs weren't changed significantly in any of the later patches, as far as I can remember. Of course if you're now running a modded game - or if you used to use modded files- that could explain the differences between what you see now and what you remember from your earlier experiences of the game.

If you're not using mods and never have, then modding the game might be the answer you are looking for. Simply tweak (copies of) your data files to increase the output of resource production facilities and the capacity of the storage facilities. That will allow you (and your enemies ) to support larger fleets.

EDIT: Cheeze's spaceport suggestion is a good one as well. DO you see little red barrel icons on all your extra-system colonies?